Ice maker for refrigerator and assembly method thereof

ABSTRACT

A method for assembling an ice maker for a refrigerator includes receiving an ice tray having a seat portion and an attaching portion, receiving a heater to which an elastic attaching member is attached, placing one end of the heater against the seat portion of the ice tray, moving the heater so that the heater and the attaching portion come into contact with each other, and rotating the heater so that the elastic attaching member of the heater comes into contact with the ice tray.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0085880, filed on Jun. 17, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

Field of the Invention

Embodiments according to the present invention relate to an ice maker for a refrigerator and an assembly method thereof, and more particularly to an ice maker which can automatically make and store ice.

Background

A refrigerator is a device for low temperature storage of food and may be configured to provide freezing storage or cold storage of food according to the kind of food that a user wants to store.

The inside of the refrigerator is cooled by continuously supplied cold air, in which the cold air is continuously generated by heat exchange with a refrigerant according to a cooling/freezing cycle that includes processes of compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. The cold air supplied to the inside of the refrigerator is evenly transferred to the inside of the refrigerator by convection to store food in the refrigerator at a desired temperature.

Generally, the main body of the refrigerator has a rectangular parallelepiped shape of which the front surface is open. The inside of the main body may be provided with a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment. Further, the front surface of the main body may be provided with a refrigerating compartment door and a freezing compartment door, and a storage space in the refrigerator may be provided with multiple drawers, shelves, receiving boxes, etc., in which various foods may be stored in an optimal condition.

Traditionally, a top mount type of refrigerator, in which a freezing compartment is positioned at an upper portion and a refrigerating compartment is positioned at a lower portion, has been mainly used. Recently, however, for user convenience, a bottom freezer type of refrigerator, in which the freezing compartment is positioned at a lower portion, has been introduced. In the case of the bottom freezer type of refrigerator, the more frequently used refrigerating compartment is positioned at an upper portion and the relatively less frequently used freezing compartment is positioned at a lower position, and thus a user may conveniently use the refrigerating compartment. However, since the freezing compartment is positioned at the lower portion, the bottom freezer type of refrigerator has a problem because a user has to bend his/her back to open the freezing compartment door and take out items such as ice.

To solve the above problem, a refrigerator in which an ice dispenser is installed at or in the refrigerating compartment door positioned at the upper portion of the bottom freezer type of refrigerator has recently been introduced. In this case, an ice machine that generates ice may be provided on the inside of the refrigerating compartment door or inside the refrigerating compartment itself.

The ice machine may include an ice maker that has an ice tray for generating ice, an ice bucket in which the ice is stored, and a transfer assembly for transferring the ice stored in the ice bucket to the dispenser.

A conventional ice machine further includes an ice removing heater for applying heat to the ice tray so that the ice can be easily separated from the ice tray. The ice removing heater is generally installed and affixed to a bottom surface of the ice tray. In order to affix the ice removing heater to the ice tray, the conventional ice machine uses caulking with the ice tray and/or an additional affixing member.

However, the conventional ice machine has a problem because the heater may separate from the ice tray due to omission of the caulking or some other weakness, which can cause an accident, such as a fire, to occur.

Further, in the case where separate components, such as a rivet, are used to affix the ice removing heater, the heater may be damaged by rust due to corrosion of the rivet. Also, damage such as distortion of the heater may occur in the process of installing the separate components. These types of problems may increase material costs, decrease productivity, and interfere, with the cold air flow path.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the present invention provides an ice maker for a refrigerator and an assembly method thereof, which enable a heater to be firmly and easily affixed to an ice tray by providing an attachment portion that projects outwardly from one end of the ice tray.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method for assembling an ice maker for a refrigerator includes: receiving an ice tray having a seat portion and an attaching portion, receiving a heater to which an elastic attaching member is attached, temporarily affixing (placing) one end of the heater against the seat portion of the ice tray, moving the heater so that, the heater and the fixing portion come into contact with each other, and rotating the heater so that the elastic attaching member of the heater comes into contact with the ice tray.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an ice maker for a refrigerator includes: an ice tray configured to generate ice, a heater configured to apply heat to the ice tray so that the ice is separated from the ice tray, a seat portion formed on the ice tray to support the heater, and a heater attaching portion configured to project from a part of the ice tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an ice machine for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a part of the ice maker of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, and 6B are views illustrating a method for assembling an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for assembling an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, constructions and actions according no embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of known constructions or functions will be omitted if it is deemed that such description would make the gist of the present invention unnecessarily vague.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an ice machine for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a part of the ice maker of FIG. 2. FIGS. 4A to 6B are views illustrating processes of a method for assembling an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, an ice machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a case 101, an ice maker 200, a cold air guide portion 220, a driving portion 230, and an ice bucket 120.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice machine 100 may be provided on one side of an upper portion of a refrigerating compartment of a refrigerator or it may be installed on or in a refrigerating compartment door. However, these are merely examples, and the ice machine 100 may also be installed in another position in the refrigerator.

A cooling space 105, in which ice can be generated, may be formed inside the case 101. The ice maker 200 may be positioned on an upper side in the cooling space 105, and the ice bucket 120 may be positioned on a lower side of the ice maker 200.

A cooling portion (not illustrated) functions to generate cold air and to supply the generated cold air to the ice tray 210. The cooling portion may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and may generate the cold air through heat exchange between a refrigerant and air. The cold air may be supplied to the ice tray 210 through a discharge duct 110 and the cold air guide portion 220 by means of a ventilator (e.g., fan) or the like.

The cold air guide portion 220 functions to guide the cold air that is supplied from the cooling portion to the lower side of the ice tray 210, and the cold air guide portion 220 may be connected to the discharge duct 110 that is a path through which the cold air from the cooling portion is supplied.

The ice maker 200 includes the ice tray 210 in which water can be accommodated. In an embodiment, the ice tray 210 is made of aluminum. The cold air guide portion 220 guides a flow of cold air so that cold air that is supplied from the cooling portion moves along the bottom surface of the ice tray 210, and the driving portion 230 drops the ice that is generated in the ice tray 210 into the ice bucket 120 by rotating the ice tray 210.

The ice tray 210 provides spaces in which water that is supplied from a water supply pipe (not illustrated) is frozen into ice. More specifically, the ice tray 210 has a plurality of spaces on its upper surface to accommodate the water therein. The spaces may have various shapes according to the shape of the ice to be generated, and the number of the spaces may be adjusted.

The cold air exchanges heat with the bottom surface of the ice tray 210 as the cold air moves along the bottom surface of the ice tray 210, and thus the water that is contained in the ice tray 210 can be frozen to form ice. The ice that is generated in the ice tray 210 is dropped through rotation of a rotating shaft 231, and is accumulated in the ice bucket 120 that is located on the lower side of (under) the ice tray 210.

Further, a plurality of ejectors (not illustrated) may be provided along the length of the rotating shaft 231, and through rotation of the ejectors, the ice can be removed from the ice tray 210 even if the ice tray 210 is not rotated.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ice maker 200 of the ice machine of FIG. 1, as seen from the bottom surface of the ice tray 210.

Referring to FIG. 2, the ice maker 200 may include the ice tray 210 and the driving portion 230. The cold air guide portion 220 for guiding the flow of cold air is provided on the bottom surface of the ice tray 210 so that cold air that is supplied from the cooling portion moves along the bottom surface of the ice tray 210.

After the ice is generated in the ice tray 210, the driving portion 230 drops the ice that is generated in the ice tray 210 by rotating the ice tray 210.

An ice removing heater 205 may be installed on the bottom surface of the ice tray 210 to provide heat to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. The ice removing heater 205 enables the ice to be easily separated from the ice tray 210 by melting the surface of the ice in the ice tray 210 through heating of the ice tray 210. The ice removing heater 205 may be formed in a “U” shape.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a seat portion 240 may be formed on the bottom surface of the ice tray 210, and the ice removing heater 205 may be seated on (against) the seat portion 240. The seat portion 240 may be formed by the bottom surface, an inner wall 241, and an outer wall 242 of the ice tray 210, and the inner wall 241 and the outer wall 242 may be perpendicular to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. The seat portion of the ice tray 210 may be formed in a certain shape so that the ice removing heater 205 can be stably attached to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210.

In an embodiment, the ice tray 210 may have a heater attaching portion 245 which projects from the inner wall 241 that constitutes the seat portion 240 of the ice tray 210. The heater attaching portion 245 can prevent the ice removing heater 205 from separating from the ice tray 210. In an embodiment, caulking is included between the ice removing heater 205 and the heater attaching portion 245.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heater attaching portion 245 is shaped to project from one portion of the inner wall 241 that constitutes the seat portion 240 of the ice tray 210, in parallel to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. Through this structure, the heater attaching portion 245 functions to enable the ice removing heater 205 that is attached to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210 to be stably attached and affixed to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. In particular, the heater attaching portion 245 can effectively prevent the ice removing heater 205 that is attached to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210 from being separated from the ice tray 210 in a direction (e.g., the z-direction) that is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210.

Next, referring to FIGS. 4A to 6B, a method for assembling an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Specifically, FIGS. 4A to 6B illustrate processes of attaching the ice removing heater 205 to the ice tray 210. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of a part of FIG. 4A. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of a part of FIG. 5A.FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the ice maker of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6B is a plan view of a part of FIG. 6A.

In order to assemble the ice maker 200 according to this embodiment, first, the ice tray 210 having the seat portion 240 and the heater attaching portion 245 is prepared and received into the assembly process.

The ice tray 210 has the cold air guide portion 220 provided on the bottom surface thereof, and is formed to include the heater attaching portion 245 having a structure that projects from one end of the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heater attaching portion 245 is formed on the bottom surface of the ice tray 210 to project from a part of the inner wall 241 that extends vertically to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210 in parallel to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. According to an embodiment of the Present invention, the ice removing heater 205 may be formed in a “U” shape, and the length of the ice removing heater 205 is equal to the length measured from the heater attaching portion 245 of the ice tray 210 to a point to which the driving portion 230 is attached. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice removing heater 205 may further include an elastic attaching member 246 that is attached to the end of the ice removing heater 205 that is subsequently connected to the driving portion 230. The elastic attaching member 246 may be formed of an elastic material, such as rubber. Further, the circumference of the part of the elastic attaching member 246 that is attached to the end of the ice removing heater 205 may be wider than the circumference of the ice removing heater 205 to which the elastic attaching member 246 is attached, and thus the elastic attaching member 246 may have a portion that projects outward further than the surface of the ice removing heater 205 (e.g., the elastic attaching member 246 is wider than the ice removing heater 205 when viewed down the length of each). Accordingly, the elastic attaching member 246 that is attached to one end of the ice removing heater 205, when positioned as shown in FIG. 5A for example, can stably affix in place the driving portion 230, the ice tray 210, and the ice removing heater 205, which are provided in the ice maker 200.

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, one end of The ice removing heater 205 may be temporarily affixed to the seat portion 240 of the ice tray 210 (e.g., it is loosely placed into position near the heater attaching portion 245 as shown in FIG. 4A, but is not tight up against the heater attaching portion 245 as shown in FIG. 4B). In this case, a part of the ice removing heater 205 comes in contact with the ice tray 210, but another part of the ice removing heater 205 does not come in contact with the ice tray 210.

Next, referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the ice removing heater 205 is moved so that the ice removing heater 205 comes in further contact with the ice tray 210. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the ice removing heater 205 may be moved in the length direction (e.g., the x-direction) of the ice tray 210, and at the same time, the end of the ice removing heater 205 at which the elastic attaching member 246 of the ice removing heater 205 is located may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction (considering the orientation of FIG. 5A) relative to the other end of the ice removing heater 205. Referring to FIG. 5B, which is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A, as a result of moving and rotating the ice removing heater 205, one end of the ice removing heater 205 comes in contact with the surface(s) of the heater attaching portion 245 (e.g., one end of the ice removing heater 205—specifically, the bottom of the shaped ice removing heater 205—is inserted into and up against the heater attaching portion 245). Thus, the ice removing heater 245 can be stably affixed between the heater attaching portion 245 and the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. Accordingly, the ice removing heater 205 can be held in place against the bottom surface of the ice tray 210, so that the ice removing heater 205 can be prevented from moving in a direction that is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210, in upper/lower ('vertical) direction (e.g., the z-direction). In an embodiment, caulking is included between the ice removing heater 205 and the heater attaching portion 245.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, once, the movement of the ice tray 210 of the ice removing heater 205 is completed and the ice removing heater 205 is in place, the elastic attaching member 246 of the one end of the ice removing heater 205 comes in contact with the side surface of the ice tray 210, and thus the ice removing heater 205 can be prevented from moving again, in the length direction (e.g., the x-direction) of the ice tray 210.

Preferring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, when the position adjustment (placement) of the ice removing heater 205 and the ice tray 210 is completed, the driving portion 230 is provided for the ice tray 210 to which the ice removing heater 205 is attached, and thus assembly of the ice maker 200 can be completed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the driving portion 230 may have an opening (not illustrated) through which the one end of the ice removing heater 205 can pass (can be inserted), and the driving portion 230 may be affixed together with the ice tray 210 using additional affixing members (e.g., a screw and bolt). Because the driving portion 230 is additionally provided to the ice tray 210 to which the ice removing heater 205 is attached, the ice removing heater 205 can be attached to the ice tray 210 more firmly and stably.

Hereinafter, operations and effects of the ice maker 200 and the ice tray 210 according to an embodiment, of the present invention will be described.

The cooling portion (not illustrated) of the ice maker 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate cold air, and the generated cold air may be supplied to the ice tray 210 through the discharge duct 110 and the cold air guide portion 220 by means of a ventilator.

The ice maker 200 includes the ice tray 210 in which water can be accommodated, the cold air guide portion 220 guiding the flow of the cold air so that the cold air that is supplied from the cooling portion moves along the bottom surface of the ice tray 210, and the driving portion 230 dropping the ice that is generated in the ice tray 210 by rotating the ice tray 210.

On the bottom surface of the ice tray 210, the ice removing heater 205 may be installed to provide heat to the bottom surface of the ice tray 210. The ice removing heater 205 enables the ice to be easily separated from the ice tray 210 by melting the surface of the ice in the is tray 210 through heating of the ice tray 210.

The ice tray 210 of the ice maker 200 according to this embodiment may be formed to have the seat portion 240 on (against) the bottom surface thereof, and the seat portion 240 has the heater attaching portion 245 that projects outwardly from the seat portion 240 so that the ice removing heater 205 is seated on (against) and affixed to the seat portion 240.

The ice tray 210 having the seat portion 240 and the heater attaching portion 245 according no this embodiment can effectively prevent the ice removing heater 205 from separating from the ice tray 210 by stably attaching (holding in place) the ice removing heater 205.

The ice maker 220 according to this embodiment can minimize friction of the cold air flow path by deleting additional components for attaching the ice removing heater 205 to the ice tray 210, and can prevent the heater from separating due to the omission of the caulking and any weakness that might result by the absence of the caulking.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method for assembling an ice maker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In block 702, an ice tray 210 having a seat portion 240 and an attaching portion 245 is received.

In block 704, a heater 205 to which an elastic attaching member 246 is attached is received.

In block 706, one end of the heater 205 is placed against the seat portion 240 of the ice tray 210.

In block 708, the heater 205 is moved so that the heater 205 comes into contact with the attaching portion 245.

In block 710, the heater 205 is moved (rotated) so that the elastic attaching member 246 of the heater 205 comes into contact with the ice tray 210.

In block 712, a driving portion 230 is attached to the ice tray 210 and the elastic attaching member 246 that is attached to the heater 205 is inserted through an opening of the driving portion. In an embodiment, caulking is added between the heater 205 and the attaching portion 245 of the ice tray 210.

As described above, the ice maker for a refrigerator and the assembly method thereof according to the embodiments of the present invention can prevent the heater that is provided on the ice tray of the ice machine of the refrigerator from separating from the ice tray due to impact during transporting or due to aging through the use of the ice maker.

Further, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the friction of the cold air flow path can he reduced by deleting additional components that are installed in the cold air flow path section of the ice tray. Also, increased durability can be expected by removing failure causes (e.g., rust, distortion) that may occur when the separate components are used.

Further, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the heater can be prevented from separating due to the omission of the caulking for affixing the heater and any weakness or accident that might result therefrom is also prevented.

Further, the ice maker for a refrigerator and the assembly method thereof according to the embodiments of the present invention can reduce the manufacturing cost by reducing the number of components and assembly processes.

While the present invention has been described with respect to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be understood That a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains may substitute and change components without any limitation and these substitutions and changes also belong to the scope of the present invention.

Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be construed as defined in the following claims, and changes, modifications and equivalents that fall within the technical idea of the present invention are intended to be embraced by the scope of the claims of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for assembling an ice maker for a refrigerator, comprising: receiving an ice tray having a seat portion and an attaching portion; receiving a heater to which an elastic attaching member is attached; placing one end of the heater against the seat portion of the ice tray; moving the heater so that the heater comes into contact with the attaching portion; and rotating the heater so that the elastic attaching member of the heater comes into contact with the ice tray.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: attaching a driving portion to the ice tray; and inserting the elastic attaching member that is attached to the heater through an opening of the driving portion.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding caulking between the heater and the attaching portion of the ice tray.
 4. An ice maker for a refrigerator, comprising: an ice tray configured to generate ice; a heater configured to apply heat to the ice tray so that the ice is separated from the ice tray; a seat portion formed on the ice tray to support the heater; and a heater attaching portion configured to project from a part of the ice tray.
 5. The ice maker of claim 4, wherein the seat portion is positioned at a bottom surface of the ice tray, a first side wall that is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the ice tray, and a second side wall that is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the ice tray.
 6. The ice maker of claim 5, wherein the heater attaching portion extends from the first side wall, and the heater attaching portion that extends from the first side wall is parallel to the bottom surface of the ice tray.
 7. The ice maker of claim 4, wherein the heater further comprises an elastic attaching member attached to one end of the heater, wherein a part of the elastic attaching member projects outside a surface of the heater to which the elastic attached member is attached.
 8. The ice maker of claim 4, wherein one end of the heater comes in contact with the heater attaching portion of the ice tray, and further includes caulking between the heater and a portion of the heater attaching portion.
 9. The ice maker of claim 4, wherein the ice tray is made of aluminum.
 10. The ice maker of claim 4, further comprising a driving portion having an opening through which one end of the heater is inserted, wherein the driving portion and the ice tray are affixed to each other using an attaching member that is coupled to a side surface of the ice tray.
 11. A refrigerator having a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment, the refrigerator further comprising: an ice maker comprising: an ice tray configured to generate ice; a heater configured to apply heat to the ice tray so that the ice is separated from the ice tray; a seat portion formed on the ice tray to support the heater; and a heater attaching portion configured to project from a part of the ice tray.
 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the seat portion is positioned at a bottom surface of the ice tray, a first side wall that is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the ice tray, and a second side wall that is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the ice tray.
 13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the heater attaching portion extends from the first side wall, and the heater attaching portion that extends from the first side wall is parallel to the bottom surface of the ice tray.
 14. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the heater further comprises an elastic attaching member attached to one end of the heater, wherein a part of the elastic attaching member projects outside a surface of the heater to which the elastic attached member is attached.
 15. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein one end of the heater comes in contact with the heater attaching portion of the ice tray, and further includes caulking between the heater and a portion of the heater attaching portion.
 16. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the ice tray is made of aluminum.
 17. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising a driving portion having an opening through which one end of the heater is inserted, wherein the driving portion and the ice tray are affixed to each other using an attaching member that is coupled to a side surface of the ice tray. 